Jail for 21 years of 'horrendous' offending

"Horrendous" is how a judge has described Jim Wilson's 21
years of sexual offending against a female victim, starting
when she was four years old.

Gilbert James Wilson, aka Jim Wilson, 76, was sentenced today
by Judge Ian Mill in Masterton District Court to nine years'
jail on a raft of sexual assault charges committed between
1970 and 1991 on a victim who is now 47. The offending
happened at Tolaga Bay, near Gisborne; in Wairarapa and in
Wellington.

Throughout sentencing Wilson, who previously pleaded guilty
to 10 representative charges including rape, unlawful sexual
connection, indecencies with an animal and indecent assault
on a girl, sat rocking backwards and forwards in a wheelchair
staring at the floor.

At times he wiped tears from his eyes as he listened to
submissions by the Crown and his defence lawyer. He had tried
to kill himself when the offending came to light, the court
heard.

A victim impact statement was read to the court by a victim's
advisor who said the woman stated her life had been ruined by
Wilson.

Her son hadn't spoken to her since the abuse came to light
and her daughter was also struggling, the court heard.

"No words can describe what [the offender] has done to me. He
has ruined my life ... I lost my childhood, my babyhood was
not normal."

Growing up she felt controlled by Wilson, was not allowed to
make friends or socialise and was left confused and feeling
guilty by the abuse she experienced, the reader said.

"He was devious and manipulative. I was, and still am
confused. It is worse now. It is clear to me what he did was
wrong ... all I wanted was for the abuse to stop."

When she told her mother, she was not believed and beaten by
her, the court heard.

Her self esteem and self confidence had been rocked and she
had been left feeling ashamed by the abuse, her victim impact
statement stated.

"I thought I could help him ... I was isolated and unable to
socialise because of the shame. I don't trust people."

Crown prosecutor Geraldine Kelly said there was "degradation
and indignities" involved in the abuse which involved many
forms of sexual abuse including him trying to force her to
have sex with a dog. She suggested a starting point of
between 12 and 13 years' jail was appropriate.

As a child the victim had been beaten by her mother and
unbelieved.

"There was a high level of premeditation ... there was a
gross abuse of trust ... she was subjected to violence from
her mother ... she was a vulnerable and defenceless victim
... It was for his own sexual gratification at a formative
time in her life and continued until she was an adult. It has
had a severe impact physically, emotionally and
psychologically."

Wilson's lawyer Jock Blathwayt said his client admitted the
offending and had not sexually abused anyone else.

Judge Mill said the victim suffered abuse daily from Wilson
who created situations to be alone with her and threatened
her so his offending could continue.

It was "far too late to protect the community" from Wilson,
he said.

"It's fairly grim reading ... there are no words to describe
what you have done to her. You have ruined her life ...
untold harm has been done to her. This was horrendous abuse."

He sentenced Wilson to six years' jail on the rape counts
adding another three years to be served cumulatively on
sodomy, sexual violation and unlawful sexual connection.

Wilson was sentenced to one years' imprisonment to be served
concurrently for indecently assaulting the girl and a dog.